Buying a Hobie cat in Chonburi

[mikem]

Does anyone know a place that sells Hobies in The Chonburi area thanks

[artist]

Go to the Varunna yacht club in Jomtiem where they have a big fleet and where they will put you on the right track

[forreachingme]

Ocean Marina on Jomtien probably...

There are few boat shops beetween Pataya and Jomtien, before the hill and on the hill...

[kingwilly]

As the 2 previous posters have said, your two (and pretty much only two) options are either the royal varuna yacht club, or the ocean marina club in jomtien are clubs that members will be selling boats at.

To the best of my knowledge, there are no shops that sell those boats in thailand, and to import them is bladdy difficult at best!

contact details for varuna www.varuna.org/

[mrsquirrel]

A cat is for life not just a hobby.

[mikem]

thanks I'll check them out.
I did a search first. It gave BLU WAVE as the only retailer but under its fleet didn't have any.

[Erwin007]

Hi Mike and all other sailing enthusiasts,
Unfortunately Hobie Cats are difficult to find in Thailand and even if you do, you may have a problem getting parts when something breaks. You can import a boat yourself, which is not as difficult as some people might want you to believe. But the added cost for shipping, permits, handling and VAT does make it expensive. And when buying spare parts seperately, be prepared to pay high duties.
A few years ago we started distributing WindRider Trimarans in Thailand as an alternative to the more famous Hobie Cats. WindRiders are much easier and more comfortable to sail, much stronger and depending on the model just as fast or even faster than catamarans. And most important we stock new and used boats AND parts right here in Thailand, should you require any spare (not very likely in the first few years).

Keep on sailing!!
Erwin.

[madjbs]

There are 3 or 4 catamarans for sale at the Varuna Yacht club at the moment. Ranging from 80,000 for an old one, to a few hundred thousand for an almost new one.

[peterpan]

Wonder why they are so expensive here? No duty

[Panda]

Make sure they are full fiberglass hulls and not glass over plywood like many of the large powerboats.

[madjbs]

These are brand name boats, not something that someone has knocked up in the back shed.

[Panda]

Wots the "brand name"?
And why so touchy, -- are you on commission?

[madjbs]

Hobiecat

Laser (makes Darts)

Orca

[Panda]

^ Definitely lost the plot.

------------------------

Now let me get onto something a little more on topic here.

A few years ago I took the Thai family on a holiday to Koh Samat. 9 of them including the kids.
Went over on the big ferry and had to go ashore in a small boat because no jetty where we were staying. It meant wading ashore in knee deep water for the last few meters. But not so bad since the weather was good and the waves small.

But after a few days there the weather turned bad when it was time to go home.
I didn't like the idea of getting out to the big ferry in an overcrowded small boat in the nasty weather. So I decided to hire a private speed boat for the trip home. It was expensive, -- I think about 5k from memory. But it was a very nice looking big speed boat about 23 feet long with a large covered cabin area and two big four stroke outboards.

I knew it was going to be a rough trip back to Ban Phe so I chose a seat right at the back near the motors. I've owned a few speed boats and I know the softest ride is right at the transom. Up the front you get pounded as the bow smashes into the waves. Well, the Thai family were very alarmed at the stupid farang wanting to sit down the back out in the weather and tried their best to get me to move up the front under the shelter of the cabin. But no way I was going to move because I knew what the trip was going to be like with those big waves and big motors pushing into it.

Anyway all the Thais up front copped a merciless pounding while I had a wet, but relatitively comfortable ride home. During the trip I was watching them bounce off their seats and come thudding back down again over and over. I also had time to look around the boat (which initially looked like a very smart state of the art design). As we hit the waves the sides were flexing much more than made me feel confidant of its seaworthiness. It was then I started looking to see where the lifejackets were. I could see only 6. Further inspection revealed the boat was made out of plywood overlayed with a coating of fiberglass. And obviously built to meet minimum specifications rather than being overloaded with passengers in rough weather.

When we got back to the pier (thankfully), I took a look at some of the other speed boats there and they were all the same, --- glass over plywood. But superficially they looked sleek and shiny like a full glass boat.
Hence the reason why I suggest anyone thinking of buying a boat in Thailand pay particular attention to the construction materials in the hull.

[the dogcatcher]

Good last post. I am a commercially endorsed Yachtmaster, and yachting instructor. On several occations I have have refused to get into boats in Thailand, and if you're not sure 100 percent don't buy it or even get in it, if the it goes tits up the skipper will save his cigarettes before her saves you.

[jarne]

yeah
most of the boat here in thailand are plywood and barely a thin film of fiberglass/paint on top.
using plywood as core is a common way of constructing hulls, but like this is so thai.
shitty motherfuckers. There are houndres of them just in pattaya.
I even saw a big cat 50 ft approx been made like this .. booof

[madjbs]

The OP was talking about Hobies, i.e Hobiecat, the manufacturer of small 1-2 person catamarans. They are not built in Thailand, or from plywood.

[Panda]

I know a bloke in Patpong who sells solid gold Rolex watches for 500 baht. He could probably get you a good deal on a Hobiecat.

[madjbs]

Doubt it

[sunsetter]

i know a chap on koh chang that can get hold of those, or something similar,ill get on it if you want

[kingwilly]

Wonder why they are so expensive here? No duty

I know it is an old thread now, but to answer that question, most of the cats in thailand were imported when they did attract a duty, 240%. (It was only abolished about 5 or 6 years ago) I suppose the owners selling their boats now do not want to make a loss.